Earth pulverizer



May 4, 1937. M. D. JENKS EARTH PULVERIZER Filed July 13, 1956 Myron Jen/f5 @6W/?? WM Patented May 4, 1937 PATENT OFFICE EARTH PULVERIZER Myron D. Jenks, -San Fernando, Calif., assignor oi one-half to Edward Weiss, Los Angeles,

Calif.

Application July 13, 1936, Serial No. 90,398

6 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in earth pulverizers.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a garden tool in the form of an earth pulverizer that produces a mulch on the surface of soil and is adapted for pulverizing the hard coat or crust that frequently forms on soil after watering, the tool also being especially serviceable in working around flower and vegetable plants as well as small shrubbery.

A further object of the invention is to provide an earth pulverizer in the form of a plate member carrying a handle and from which plate member a plurality of spikes or tines depend for earth working operations and with the marginal edge of the plate member formed at an inclination and serviceable for limited scraping and spading operations.

With the above and other objects in View that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

In the drawing:-

Figure 1 is a top plan view of an earth pulverizer constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View 30 taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing the upwardly inclined edge of the plate member that carries the depending tines;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken online 3--3 of Figure 1;

35 Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1, showing the retainer plate for the depending tines; and

Figure 5 is a detail sectional View taken on line 5 5 of Figure 1, showing the bolt connection 40 between the two plate members that support and confine the tines.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawing, the earth pulverizer is in the form of a portable or hand tool for garden use and com- 45 prises a plate I0, preferably rectangular in plan view as shown in Figure 1, with the marginal edge of the plate I 0 inclined upwardly to provide a spader or scraper edge II having a knife edge I2.

50 The plate I0 is provided with parallel rows of spaced perforations I3 through which spikes or tines I4 extend, the upper ends of the tines I4 being swaged or counter-sunk as at I5 in the openings I3 in the plate Ill to have their upper ends 55 vflush with the upper face of the plate I0,

To retain the tines I4- in position against displacement, a rectangular retainer plate I6 is mounted upon the upper side of the plate I0 and is iiatly engaged with the headed ends I5 of the tines as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the retainer 5 plate I6 being held in position on the plate I0 by means of nut and bolt combinations II associated with the two plates at the corners thereof as illustrated in Figure l.

A handle socket I8 rises at any desired angle l0 from a base plate I9 that may be welded or otherwise secured to the retainer plate I6.

The tool is especially serviceable for the pulverization of earth around growing plants and the like, while the edge II may be used as a l5 spade or a scraper in the breaking up of soil and in the removal of larger objects. Broken tines I4 may be readily replaced by removal of the retainer plate I6 and the insertion of new tines through the desired openings I3, in the 20 plate III.

From the above detailed description of the invention, it is believed that the construction and operation thereof will at once be apparent and while there is herein shown and described the 25 preferred embodiment of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:-

1. In a garden tool of the character described,

a plate having a flanged marginal edge and having parallel rows of spaced perforations therein, headed tines in the perforations, and a retainer plate for'the tines flatly engaged with the aforesaid plate for retaining the tines in position.

2. Ir a garden tool of the character described,

a plate,l having a hanged marginal edge and having parallel rows of spaced perforations there- 40 in, headed tines in the perforations, a retainer plate for the tines flatly engaged with the aforesaid plate for retaining the tines in position, and a handle socket rising from the retainer plate.

3. In a garden tool of the character described, a plate having a flanged marginal edge and having parallel rows of spaced perforations therein, headed tines in the perforations, with the heads of the tines countersunk in the perforations to lie flush with the upper surface of the plate, and a retainer plate for the tines flatly engaged with the aforesaid plate for retaining the tines in position.

4. In a garden tool of the character described,

a plate having a flanged marginal edge and havtherein, headed tines in the perforations, withl the heads of the tines countersunk in the perforations to lie flush with the upper surface of the plate, a retainer plate for the tines flatly en-v gaged with the aforesaid plate for retaining the tines in position, the retainer plate terminating at its marginal edges inwardly of the flanged marginal edge of the first named plate.

6. In a garden tool of the character described,

a plate having a flanged marginal edge and having parallel rows of spaced perforations therein, headed tines in the perforations, with the heads of the tines countersunk in the perforations to lie ush with the upper surface of the plate, a retainer plate for the tines flatly engaged with the aforesaid plate for retaining the tines in position, and a handle socket rising from the retainer plate, the retainer plate terminating at its marginal edges inwardly of the flanged marginal edge of the flrst named plate.

MYRON D. JENKS. 

